The Department of Basic Education (DBE) promulgated a policy on home education that attempts to monitor home learners by requiring them to be regularly assessed by competent assessors. Assessment results must be evaluated by the DBE to take remedial actions when results do not meet minimum requirements. The stated intention of this monitoring is to avoid that home learners fall through the cracks. Although the stated intention seems noble, closer examination reveals...

According to the constitution of South Africa (Section 29(1)) everyone has the right to basic education. The constitution unfortunately does not define the term basic education. The Department of Basic Education (DBE) states in the Education Information Standards, Dictionary of Education Concepts and Terms 2010 that the definition of education is: “Education undertaken in an educational institution established, declared or registered in terms of the Child Care Act, South African Schools...